Rienzo becomes Japanese media sensation

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It was not exactly a stellar performance for Andre Rienzo on Monday at Scottsdale Stadium, as the right-hander didn't retire any of the five Giants hitters faced in the third and yielded five runs. Nonetheless, Rienzo was greeted by 10 Japanese media members in the visitors' clubhouse after his exit.

Their interest comes from Rienzo starting Game 1 of the World Baseball Classic's Pool A against Japan in Fukuoka on March 2. At least, Rienzo hopes he's still the starter.

"I don't know if [Brazil manager] Barry Larkin saw the game today and changes it," said a smiling Rienzo, drawing a laugh from the media. "I hope not.

"I'm glad to be part of the team, and I hope to be better than today. I hope I help Brazil. Today I didn't help the White Sox. I hope to help the team and hope to do well there."

Rienzo, a 24-year-old, fast-rising prospect -- ranked No. 9 in the organization by MLB.com -- leaves Tuesday to train with Team Brazil for the World Baseball Classic. He believes that he'll learn even more from a rough outing such as Monday and improve from the mistakes.

He also received an indoctrination to the Japanese media who will be covering him this weekend.

"I don't know what's happening, but it's good," said Rienzo of the Japanese media attention. "Today I really tried to throw strikes, but it didn't work for me. Next time, better. It's good for me to learn that because I played with the big guys, big names. You learn something new every day."

Santiago not taking roster spot for granted

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Before Hector Santiago took the mound for his 2013 Cactus League debut Monday at Scottsdale Stadium, manager Robin Ventura all but guaranteed the left-hander would be part of the White Sox Opening Day roster.

After allowing three runs on five hits over two innings in the 9-9 deadlock with the Giants, Santiago strongly and respectfully disagreed with Ventura. And that contrarian belief had nothing to do with Santiago's on-field results.

"I came to Spring Training fighting for a job like anybody else. I'm not guaranteeing myself a spot on here," said Santiago, who struck out one and didn't issue a walk in the start. "I've only got a year in and nothing guaranteed to me.

"Even if they say it, I could come in here and have a terrible spring. Anything can happen. But yeah, I don't consider myself on the team, not one bit."

There was one school of thought that had Santiago going to Triple-A Charlotte to stretch out if John Danks broke camp with the team after rehabbing his way back from Aug. 6 arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. But Santiago has the ability to adapt to pretty much anything, so he can serve as a rotation insurance policy for the team while contributing in the bullpen.

"Whatever they need," Santiago said. "I'm fine with anything I do. When that day comes, I guess we'll figure it out."

"He does a lot of different things, but right now, getting him stretched out is more insurance for Johnny," said Ventura of Santiago. "He would be timed up at the same time. Right now he's going to be starting and lengthened out. He's been able to bounce around and do a lot of different things."

Viciedo OK after taking painful pitch off elbow

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A Chris Heston pitch caught Dayan Viciedo in the left elbow area during a two-run White Sox sixth inning as part of Monday's 9-9 tie with the Giants, causing the left fielder pain but apparently not any sort of inactivity past exiting the Cactus League game.

"It hit me right on the muscle. It hurt, it really hurt, right by the bone," said Viciedo, through translator and White Sox director of public relations Lou Hernandez. "But I'm fine. It's not a problem."

Viciedo usually wears an elbow guard but didn't have it on for this at-bat.

"I got it a few days ago, but I haven't adjusted it to my elbow," Viciedo said. "I have to adjust to how I'm going to wear it."

Cooper pleased with Peavy's push to the mound

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jake Peavy threw 55 pitches in his final live batting-practice session Monday, preparing for Sunday's Cactus League debut against the Padres. Pitching coach Don Cooper gave the right-hander high marks for his intense work.

"In that second set [of pitches], he got after it the way I was hoping he would get after it," said Cooper. "He knows what he needs to do to be ready, and he's going to be ready.

"We've taken advantage of the extra days. He's had more sidelines and more BPs than before. Today was good because I wanted him to raise the level of intensity a little bit more. I didn't have to tell him. He did it."

Following two days off, Peavy will throw a bullpen on Thursday and then follow Chris Sale and Jose Quintana to the mound this weekend. Cooper commented that Peavy probably wanted to make more pitches and hit better spots in live BP, but Cooper's goal was to get some of that soreness out in getting him ready to start.

"So the last BP is usually, 'Let's turn it up a little bit to try to get after it a little bit closer to the game,'" Cooper said. "I don't want it to be a huge jump from BPs to sidelines, to now here's the intensity of the game. We are going to raise it there. We would rather try to get that all out there."

Third to first

• Lars Anderson, who was designated for assignment Friday when Conor Gillaspie was acquired, was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays.

• Leyson Septimo left Monday's 9-9 tie with the Giants after making a running catch on a sacrifice bunt attempt with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth. "He said he pulled something, and we weren't sure," Ventura said. "We were going to pull him no matter what as a precaution."

• Seth Loman's game-tying, three-run homer, capping off a seven-run eighth for the White Sox, hit the awning of the right-field fan deck beyond the bullpen.